Album

On Parole

Motörhead

1979 · Rock

10 collectors on Gatefold own this

On Parole by Motörhead

On Parole is a Rock album by Motörhead, originally released in 1979. On Gatefold: 80 pressings tracked, owned by 10 collectors.

About

This is the Motörhead debut album that never debuted. Shortly after getting fired from Hawkwind, Lemmy Kilmister assembled a most powerful power trio named after the song he contributed to his former space-rock cohorts. Armed with Larry Wallis on guitar and Lucas Fox on drums, Motörhead recorded these songs in 1975. But the label had never heard anything so raw as <i>On Parole</i>, so it shelved the record and dropped the band. This 1997 remaster reveals how ahead of the heavy metal curve Motörhead was. A reworking of its namesake tune kickstarts the album with the revving of a chopper engine that segues into a harder, faster, and more venomous version than Hawkwind ever knew. With Chuck Berry riffs blasting from behemoth amps, the subsequent title track marks the birth of punk ‘n’ roll before Larry Wallis takes the mic on the catchy “Vibrator.” He also imported “City Kids” from The Pink Fairies. Motörhead's cover of The Birds’ cover of Eddie Holland’s “Leaving Here” is a standout, as are the last four bonus tracks, produced by Dave Edmunds that same year.

via Apple Music

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Tracklist

Side A

  1. A1Motorhead2:57
  2. A2On Parole5:38
  3. A3Vibrator2:53
  4. A4Iron Horse / Born To Lose5:17

Side B

  1. B1City Kids3:43
  2. B2Fools5:39
  3. B3The Watcher4:50
  4. B4Leaving Here2:56
  5. B5Lost Johnny3:31

Sound DNA

  • Rock
  • Hard Rock
  • crunchy
  • swaggering
  • outlaw

Originally released on December 8, 1979, this grouping assembles all variations of the "On Parole" album as well as its re-releases and subsequent remastered versions (some also contain bonus tracks of first sessions with Lucas Fox like EMI 1997 reissue). Bootlegged versions are also grouped here.
In fact this was recorded in September 1975 first session than with other producer Dec 1975 / Jan 1976, so technically this is the band's first album. It was supposed to be released in 1976, but the label refused to release it and it got shelved. The album was eventually released in 1979 to cash in on the band's success.
Motörhead themselves have said that their 1977 self-titled album (opens in a new tab) is their first official release seeing light of the day. They used to deny that "On Parole" was their debut album but no more. Lemmy said in interviews that this is real first album and on Canadian reissue from 1981 are his notes that this album is part of the story too. Due to the record company's initial refusal to release this album, when a reconfigured Motörhead (featuring Eddie Clarke on guitar) were given studio time by Chiswick Records in 1977, they chose to re-record the album again its entirety (only "Fools" and "Leaving Here" weren't re-recorded) leading to their self-titled release but this is completely other band with second line up thats why 'On Parole' in not less album just because was late in to the stores. From todays point of view this two and a half years late is not important anymore. It was recorded to be first official album and it should be seen that way, record label late release can't change that fact.

Credits

The people behind it.

Performers

10 collectors on Gatefold own this · 80 pressings tracked on Gatefold

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